Nelson Landscaping’s client wanted a look that made the property surrounding their castle appear that it had been around for centuries. “Everything in you wants to make a landscape pristine and uniform,” says Andy Nelson, founder/owner of the company, which is based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. “So you had to go against your instincts and really create something that worked for this client. Even down to paver pathways and trying to break those up in a way that made them look uneven and somewhat broken down as if they’ve been there for 400 years.”
1. It took 1,500 man-hours to complete the job and native grasses were used as an anchor for the landscape.
2. Taylor Junipers (tall slender Juniper trees) were used to give an evergreen look. The goal was to resemble what you would see in European landscape in olden times. Mass plantings of various grasses and perennials that had a “growing out in the wild” look like Russian sage, and lavender were used to obtain the look. Crews threw in a few horizontal and vertical junipers to make it look like a random tree or bush grew up while the castle was abandoned.
3. There’s also plenty of fun accessories to complement the castle like a draw bridge, dry creek riverbed to resemble a moat, fully-automated sprinkler system, boulder retaining walls, mortared stone edging, landscape lighting both on the house and built into the driveway which lights up at night, faux paver/chariot broken-down road to be made to look abandoned, and a custom boulder staircase.
4. The detached garage to the right of the house has what looks like an arched door that has a different stone than the house. “I wanted to make it look as if at some point this was a barn, and the door was rocked in at a later date,” said Scott Kilgo, landscape designer at Nelson Landscaping. “If this was a barn, there had to be some type of cobble drive leading up to the entrance. So, picking out the right paver was key.”
5. Explaining to the install crew to make the road look old was also a challenge. They had to put gaps between the pavers to make it look as if time had pushed them apart naturally over hundreds of years. “Use irregular shapes to build the shape of the road and space them apart as if parts of the road had disintegrated,” Kilgo says. “Once the guys got the concept, it fell into place.”
Points of entry
Features - Franchise Roundup
The green industry has a number of franchise options if you want to break into landscaping or expand your service offerings.
Average Initial Investment and what this covers: $130,000-$150,000 – Start-up capital (Home-based, minimal tools and equipment, software, launch marketing for the first year).
Royalty fee: 6.5% on a sliding scale
Franchise fee: $49,500
Total investment: $130,000-$150,000
Number of North American Locations: 66
States/provinces with at least 1 franchise: 30
Services offered: Residential custom design and build for outdoor living spaces including decks, sunrooms, screened porches, hardscapes, outdoor kitchens and pergolas
Closures in the last three fiscal years: 5
Hours of Training: 116 hours of classroom and 10 hours of field training
Average Initial Investment and what this covers: Between $45,800 and $141,300 depending on type of franchise (standard vs. conversion) and desired operational model. Covers the first three months of operation and includes the franchise fee; initial marketing plan; training costs; deposits and payments for facility, truck, trailer and equipment and additional operating capital.
Royalty Fee: Begins at 6% of gross monthly sales and declines to 5% and then 4% as certain revenue thresholds are achieved.
Franchise Fee: Initial franchise fee is $34,0000 – discounts are available for existing landscape business operators looking to convert their business.
Total Investment: Same as average initial investment listed above
Number of North American Locations: 250
Services offered: Core services includes maintenance, tree trimming; fertilization, lawn care and shrub and tree insect and disease control, lawn and ornamental consultation; irrigation services; installation of landscape materials; arborist services; and snow management and other snow-related services
Average Initial Investment and what this covers: $400,000 - $600,000 covers set-up, real estate planning, training and operations and marketing.
Royalty Fee: 8%
Franchise Fee: $40,000
Total Investment: $440,000 – $640,000
Number of North American Locations: 26
States/Provinces with at least 1 franchise: 6
Services offered: Snow and ice control, landscape management, landscape enhancements, parking lot maintenance, other services such as window cleaning, noxious weed and invasive species control
Franchising since: In Canada in 1976 and expanded to offer franchising to the United States in 1996.
Average Initial Investment and what this covers: $69,490 - $86,550. Initial franchise fee, training expenses, travel, real estate improvements, equipment and fixtures, truck and spray package lease, computer hardware and software, insurance, miscellaneous operating costs and additional funds for three months.
Royalty Fee: $12,558.98 annually for each of the first two production vehicles; $8,791.29 annually for the third production vehicle; and $6,279.49 annually for each subsequent production vehicle used during the year. Each year, these amounts may be adjusted for inflation, according to the Consumer Price index. The Base Year is Nov. 1, 1995. The amounts stated are for 2020.
Franchise Fee: Single territory (population up to 150,000): $20,000; double territory (population up to 300,000): $33,750
Total Investment: $69,490 to $86,550
Number of North American Locations: 306 License Agreements & 683 Territory Counts
Average Initial Investment and what this covers: $81,220 - $200,070. This includes the initial franchise fee, software, vehicle(s), equipment, supplies, inventory, insurance, local marketing and promotions, training, travel, lodging, deposits, permits licenses, real estate. The Grounds Guys estimated initial investment range includes the franchise fee; however, the initial franchise fee may vary depending on the size of the territory purchased.
Royalty Fee: 5-6%
Franchise Fee: $35,000 (minimum initial)
Total investment: Not available
Number of North American Locations: 213
Services offered: Residential and commercial services include: lawn and bed maintenance; landscape and hardscape; pest, weed and fertilization, irrigation, outdoor lighting, snow and ice management; gutter cleaning
Hours of Training: 110 hours over a 12-13 week onboarding process from signing to opening. Ongoing learning opportunities: 48-plus annual training opportunities, all day training events, weekly webinars and more.
Average Initial Investment and what this covers: Ranges from $45,000 - $60,000 excluding franchise fee. This includes vehicle, spray unit, computer software program, miscellaneous equipment, training, marketing, customized website, paper supplies, start-up product, insurance licensing.
Royalty Fee: 6% - Also offers franchise owners an incentive program for reducing their monthly royalty based on annual growth.
Franchise Fee: $15,000 - $25,000 based on territory
Total Investment: $60,000 - $70,000
Number of North American Locations: 11
States/Provinces with at least 1 franchise: 4
Services offered: Organic based lawn care, plant health care, natural mosquito control, many other optional lawn care services.
Closures in the last three fiscal years: 1
Hours of Training: 2 weeks- 80 hours- training is conducted at the corporate office and on franchise site
Average Initial Investment and what this covers: $87,424 – Franchise fee, down payment on vehicle and equipment, technology and software, opening supplies, initial marketing campaign, initial data fee, three months working capital.
Royalty Fee: 10-8% (5-3% first season for qualifying green industry business)
Franchise Fee: $25,000 with qualifying green industry business; ($40,000 without)
Total Investment: $89,982-$106,262
Number of North American Locations: 126 independently operated locations, plus 26 company owned locations
States/Provinces with at least 1 franchise: 26
Services offered: Lawn fertilization and weed control, lime treatment, lawn disease control, brown patch control, aeration and overseed, core aeration, grassy weed control, ornamental bed weed control, irrigation maintenance, moss control, root feeding, specialty injections, two-step tree program, perimeter pest control, mosquito mitigation, fire ant, control, flea and tick control, crane fly control, grub/subsurface insect control, surface feeding insect control (services may vary by region)
Average Initial Investment and what this covers: $150,00 start-up capital (initial inventory, tools, equipment, launch marketing leasing program is available for the vehicle.)
Royalty fee: 7% sales
Franchise fee: $49,500
Total investment: $150,000
Number of North American locations: 90
States/provinces with at least 1 franchise: 32
Services offered: Residential LED low voltage lighting, holiday lighting (for commercial and residential) and commercial and hospitality lighting solutions
Closures in the last three fiscal years: 19
Hours of Training: 61 hours of classroom and 36 hours of field training
Royalty Fee: Service fees start at 9% until you reach $500,000 annual revenue, and once $500,000 is achieved the fee drops to 7%. Service fees are based on deposits, not on sales.
Franchise Fee: $29,500 (new start up) – for conversions (current lawn care companies) the fee is adjusted based on revenue. It could be as low as $9,500.
Total Investment: $47,500 to $112,650 – depends on a new start-up vs a conversion.
Number of North American Locations: 49 physical locations / 93 licenses
Services offered: Lawn care, flea and tick, mosquito and aeration and seed
Closures in the last three fiscal years: 0
Hours of Training: Classroom 120 hours (3 weeks) and on the job 51-90.
Average Initial Investment and what this covers: First 90 days - $81,800 - $102,250 covers territory fee, travel for training, tools and equipment, computer hardware and software, inventory, storage, vehicle, vehicle signage, marketing investment and additional funds
Royalty Fee: Tiered 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%
Franchise Fee: First territory - $49,500; Second territory - $40,000
Total Investment: Initial investment (first 90 days) - $81,800 - $102,250; Total Capital (first year) $150,000 - $200,000.
Number of North American Locations: 105
Services offered: For residential and commercial properties: Irrigation system installation, irrigation service and repair, irrigation annual/seasonal maintenance packages, annual inspection of backflow devices, government water rebate incentives, upgrading and retrofitting irrigation systems, system inspections and assessments, drainage solutions
Closures in the last three fiscal years: 4 franchisees, 7 territories.
Hours of Training: 10 days of training – 80 hours. 5 days in person; 5 days virtual
Average Initial Investment and what this covers: N/A
Royalty fee: 6%
Franchise fee: $20,000
Total Investment: $80,000 in working capital which is applied to start-up costs, marketing and equipment
Number of North American Locations: 30
Services offered: Lawn fertilization and weed control with additional services including overseeding, lawn renovation, irrigation; insect control – turf insects and mosquito, ticks; perimeter pest control
Closures in the last three fiscal years: 0
Hours of Training: 120 hours start up training plus ongoing e-training and support
Much like the heart pumps blood throughout the body, pumps and valves are integral parts to any irrigation system, and key to its success or failure.
“If any of those fail, then nothing else is going to work,” says Andy Paulson, irrigation foreman at Salt Lake City-based Simms Landscape. “That’s the backbone of the entire system.”
And in some parts of the country, specialized equipment like booster pumps are a necessity to bring enough water to the system. That’s certainly the case for Chris Haase, president of Haase Landscape in Spokane, Washington, who has 35 years of experience in the irrigation industry.
“This area here is so rural…so we have a lot of properties that are on wells. We don’t have domestic water everywhere in this area, so sometimes we have to put booster pumps in to get the pressure up,” he says. “It’s very helpful in getting enough water.”
Start off on the right foot.
Haase says because of Washington’s climate, his company installs a lot of irrigation systems.
“In our areas, we are prone to wildfires, so we put a lot of fire line irrigation in, and we add pumps in extra zones to water those areas around the properties,” he says.
According to Haase, the first step in installing a successful system is to do your research and see exactly what kind of pump and other equipment will be needed.
“One of our designers comes out to take a look at the property and evaluate the area,” he says. “They will find out what their water system is like right now, whether it’s a well or domestic, and if they have enough water. We’ll do a pressure test and gallons test on the water and determine if we need to add the pump to it.”
Paulson also urges the importance of making sure you have the right equipment for the pressure needed.
“I feel like a lot of the time, with our clients, irrigation is a mystery. It’s something that happens underground, and something they don’t see.” Andy Paulson, irrigation foreman with Simms Landscape
“It’s about sizing everything correctly,” he says. “Is my valve and main line and everything going to be able to handle what I need it to do? Also, do I have the supply to handle the demand?”
Jake Francesconi, president of Grass Roots Landscaping on Cape Cod, says installing pumps and valves should be easy.
“The preparation and planning are key to any job, but even more so for irrigation,” he says. “If you have a good plan of action, and you know exactly what you’re getting into, problems don’t happen.”
Francesconi adds that doing your due diligence can also keep installation crews from having to make on-the-fly decisions or having to change course midway through the project.
“Have everything pre-flagged, know what kind of pressure you’re looking for and get it all laid out in terms of where the valve boxes are going,” he says. “You’ve just got to put everything together correctly and know that it has the space to work. Don’t just jam anything in any place and make sure to expand to a second box if need be.”
Everything’s automated.
While the technology behind pumps and valves hasn’t changed too much over the years, Francesconi, Haase and Paulson all say that irrigation customers have fully embraced “smart” technology – or automation.
“I feel like a lot of the time, with our clients, irrigation is a mystery,” Paulson says. “It’s something that happens underground, and something they don’t see. And the only time they see it is if there’s an issue. But with the smart technology, it gives them the opportunity to monitor it from anywhere.”
Not only is the smart technology nice for the homeowners, but it’s convenient for the irrigation companies, too.
When installing an irrigation system, plenty of research beforehand can prevent problems with pumps and valves down the road.
Photo courtesy of Rain Bird
“I can make adjustments on the fly and I can do them from anywhere on the lawn or even offsite, to make sure the client’s property is staying as good-looking as it should,” Paulson says. “It’s convenient for us, but a lot of times now, the customer wants the upgrade.”
Haase says the latest irrigation clocks have been a game changer as well.
“The technology with the clocks is crazy – with the apps and being able to start them and turn them off anywhere, it is nice,” he says. “Even at my house, my clock is app-driven. So, when a crew goes to mow at my house, I can turn off the irrigation system with my phone. I don’t have to ask my wife to do it or go over there or anything.”
What to watch.
But even with all these advancements, problems can still occur.
“The number one thing that goes wrong, other than heads and coverage, is valves,” Paulson says. “If your valves are not working correctly, then nothing’s going to operate right for you.”
Paulson says the most frequent problems are either a wiring issue where the valves are not turning on and off, or an obstruction in the valve that keeps it from closing all the way.
Haase says inadequate water pressure is a regular obstacle his crews face, which harkens back to Washington’s geography.
“We also have a lot of mountains around here, so sometimes the water pressure is not that great when you get to the top of a mountain and want to build your house on a domestic water system,” he says. “Sometimes we get into iron deposits in our water – or calcium. We have a lot of calcium. So, we get buildups and things like that. Sometimes we have filters on them for the iron. Most of the calls we get are because of the equipment failing.”
Supporting the system.
Paulson says filtration is an important step for maintaining pumps and valves in Utah as well.
“We service a lot of systems (here) and they use secondary water,” he says. “So, if you’re pulling off of a secondary source, you have to monitor pulling debris in. It all comes down to filtration.”
Haase says his crews are on each client’s property at least once a year to blow out the system at the start of the season. He adds that with proper maintenance, pumps and valves can last a long time.
“Most of the times the pumps run pretty good, if you keep it clean and protected,” he says. “Valves can last for 20-plus years if it’s a good brand. Pumps last five to seven years usually.”
Routine maintenance and winterization can keep valves lasting a long time.
Photo courtesy of Rain Bird
Paulson says maintenance can encompass a lot of things, but the root of it should focus on the system’s wiring and connections.
“As far as the maintenance goes, the most complicated thing you can get into is a wiring issue from the controller to the valve itself,” he says. “And on the install side, you’ve got to make sure you’re using good connectors and things like that. So, it lasts as long as it can. You can do everything right, but if your connections aren’t sound, they’re not going to continue to operate correctly for you.”
Francesconi says getting eyes on the valve box a few times a year, usually in the spring and at the end of the season, can also prevent headaches down the road.
“Keeping the valve box clean and putting some gravel underneath it so it doesn’t get overrun by vegetation is important,” he says. “You’ve got to keep them clean when you do the blowouts and everything else, so they aren’t overwhelmed with leaves, debris or mice.”
Francesconi says he’s seen a lot of animals get inside a valve box and hibernate.
“When you’re doing the winterization, you’ve got to make sure to get them clean,” he says. “You don’t want stuff burrowing underneath there because it’ll be a nice little shelter for them all winter.”
Like with anything else, preventative maintenance is essential and keeps small things from snowballing into bigger issues. Paulson says you should stick to a routine maintenance schedule.
“Usually on our properties, we do monthly site checks,” he says. “And cleaning filters and running through the entire system are part of that site check. So, we can make sure everything’s top-notch for our clients.
“We tell our clients it’s a preventative thing – because it is,” Paulson adds. “If we keep everything at 100%, then you aren’t going to call us down the road because you have dead spots in your lawn or something like that.”
Simplifying systems
Features - Technology
These customer relationship management and accounting software options can help increase productivity and streamline day-to-day office tasks.
The pitch: Acumatica helps you unlock your business potential by streamlining your enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management and financial management processes.
Acumatica offers ease of functionality, a simplified pricing structure, customization options and browser compatibility.
Using adaptable cloud technology and mobile capability, Acumatica delivers a full suite of business accounting management applications.
The pitch: FieldCentral delivers all of the tools you need to build a more efficient green industry business.
FieldCentral streamlines your operations and tells you exactly how to improve your business.
FieldCentral gives you access to real-time information about your team’s progress from anywhere, so you always know how their day is progressing no matter where you are.
The pitch: Jobber is job tracking and customer management software that streamlines and automates daily operations, replaces duplicate entries and repetitive tasks, plus it helps keep client history clean and organized.
See past quotes, jobs, visits, invoices and a full billing history associated with each client. And use client search to have a client’s full history at your fingertips.
Integration with QuickBooks Online ensures customer, invoice and payment information is always accurate.
The pitch: Service Autopilot is an all-in-one software solution dedicated to growing lawn care and landscaping businesses.
Send instant, professional invoicing to an entire client list in one click to get paid faster.
In less than five minutes, create professional estimates, automatically price jobs based on the most profitable numbers and send those prices to clients.
The pitch: ServSuite is an all-in-one lawn care software solution that automates key tasks and allows you to run a completely paperless business specifically built to meet the needs of the green industry.
ServSuite can digitize your sales process, automate scheduling and routing to streamline billing and invoicing.
The Seasonal Scheduling and Lawn Measurement Tool can help achieve growth.
The pitch: The software facilitates call integration, scheduling and dispatching, estimates and invoicing, QuickBooks Desktop and Online sync, Offline mode, and payment collection to enable businesses to convert more calls into jobs and save hours of manual work every day.
Scheduling is made easy with a drag-and-drop dashboard.
SmartServ automatically detects jobs that have open balances to help the user capture bill information in their invoices and send it out to the customer as a receipt.
The pitch: Horizon360 is an all-in-one software suite that allows landscape contractors to track the productivity of their crews and equipment, automate their billing process and enhance the time management of their business from start to finish.
Horizon360 offers proof of service, job notes and office notes, along with real-time equipment tracking and an intuitive bilingual phone app.
With Horizon360, there are no sign-on fees and no yearly contracts. Landscape contractors can choose from the basic tier ($99/month with a 30-day free trial) or the enhanced tier ($199/month with a 60-day free trial) pricing categories.
The pitch: An all-in-one-software to streamline your operations and scheduling to save you time and money.
Automate billing cycles to coincide with your customers’ preferences and help you secure reliable recurring revenue.
Reduce friction during the billing process and streamline your daily cash flow by providing customers with flexible payment options – including contactless payments.
It’s tedious work at the end of the day, but cleaning out reels and hoses is crucial in keeping them effective.
Photo courtesy of Coxreels
Lawn care can often times be all about the number of properties that can be treated in a day. From dawn to dusk, it’s all about getting one more lawn in.
And with all that use, it’s important to maintain hoses, reels and spray rigs in order to keep them running efficiently.
“It’s like checking the oil and tire pressure in your car. If they’re properly maintained, they’ll keep working every day,” says Jennifer Wing, marketing manager with Hannay Reels.
Keep it clean.
While it’s the last thing LCOs want to do at the end of the day, Wing says taking the time to clean your reels and hoses can be crucial to keeping them in working order.
“For reels and things like that, it’s always important to keep an eye on the dirt and grime buildup on the hose reel and the hose itself,” she says. “So, (I suggest) quick wash-ups every so often to clean out hidden areas of dirt that can damage the hose or the reel components. (This) will just make things last longer and work better.
“Especially after a tough or dirty job, it might be wise to wash things down quickly because dirt can hide in certain areas – especially on a power reel with a chain guard,” Wing adds.
However, don’t fret if crews forget to hose things off every once in a while, because John Kucera, director of engineering at Coxreels, says the equipment can handle it.
Even the smallest parts of a reel can get damaged, and if left untreated, the destruction will get worse.
Photo courtesy of Coxreels
“When pertaining to reels, operation is rarely impeded by poor maintenance. The working components are well protected by the inherent design,” he says. “The nature of the industry is rough and tough, and our product line fits right in line with that type of work. A reel does not need to shine to do its job.”
Even so, Kucera does say a good scrubbing every now and then is still necessary.
“This, of course, does not mean that the product should not be cleaned,” he says. “Landscape and lawn care are tough on equipment by default because of the abrasive nature of the environment. Depending on the location of the reel on the equipment, cleaning to remove abrasives around the bearing and swivel joints can help extend component life.”
Kucera says the chemical used in one’s lawn care rig shouldn’t have an impact on the equipment’s maintenance schedule.
“Most products used in the lawn care industry are mild enough that internal damage cause by them is negligible,” he says. “Best practices to prolong the life of equipment is to keep it relatively clean and to address any corrosion as soon as possible.”
Don’t let it deteriorate.
Corrosion is one of the most common problems that can occur from improper maintenance. Wing suggests investing in noncorrosive equipment to play it safe.
“If you’re using harsh chemicals, it’s always important to be careful of spills around a hose and its components, and the hose reel,” she says.
“Reels constructed in noncorrosive materials, like aluminum or stainless steel, are always recommended when you’re working with harsh chemicals like fertilizers and pesticides. If a spill occurs, any piece of equipment should be washed down as soon as possible to prevent any chemical reactions.”
The elements are known to do their damage, too.
“Leaving it outdoors in inclement weather can have a significant impact on the reel,” says Jerry Medley, vice president of sales & business development at Coxreels.
“The pieces that break or need to be repaired on any reel in the industry are from wear and tear on component parts like swivels, or seals inside of a swivel.” Jerry Medley, vice president of sales & business development, Coxreels
If corrosion is spotted, Kucera recommends immediately cleaning, lightly sanding and painting any broken powder coat showing signs of rust.
And the problems caused by corrosion are not always eye-catching. Medley says even the smallest parts can get damaged and, if left untreated, the destruction will begin to spiral.
“The pieces that break or need to be repaired on any reel in the industry are from wear and tear on component parts like swivels, or seals inside of a swivel,” he says.
Medley adds that while hoses are made to take a beating, they are one element of the operation that is damaged the most.
“People run over hoses, they’re out in the elements. Eventually your hose will need to be replaced as well,” he says.
Kucera adds that over time, seals and hoses are bound to degrade.
“Because of the abrasive nature of the work, damage to the protective coatings of the steel is common and not letting this damage fester is the best way to extend the life of your equipment,” he says.
Make it last a lifetime.
Wing says reels that are kept up thoroughly should have quite the longevity.
“As far as the reels go, it usually depends on wear and tear and things like that,” she says. “We’ve had some reels that are used daily last for decades. If they get damaged, they may need replaced. But if they are maintained properly and are serviced regularly, they can last a very long time.”
Medley and Kucera say they know lawn care operators who are still using reels that are decades old.
“We build these things very robust and very industrial in construction and design,” Medley says. “And that’s because the industry is very rough. We build these in such a way because we know these things take an absolute beating.
“If they are properly maintained, you should never have to replace them,” he adds.
And while these reels might not look the prettiest, Medley says they can still get the job done.
“It might just look dull and dingy and you’ll have places where the powder coat or the paint on the equipment might crack,” he says. “You just keep it relatively clean and dry.
Spot the small stuff.
As Medley mentions, even the smallest parts of the reel need to be maintained to keep it operating correctly.
“There’s a lot of working components in a reel,” Wing says. “You have swivel joints and chains, and things like that. You always want to check the joint connections and make sure they’re secure. A lot of manufacturers recommend different lubrication intervals – usually 40 hours of use.”
Ignoring the swivel joints can cause the reel not to spin anymore, meaning LCOs will have to manually unwind and rewind the hose.
Other parts to keep an eye on include bearings, pinlocks and even the motor on power reels.
“There are also bearings on each side of the reel, and they allow the reel to rotate easily,” Wing says. “Bearings eventually wear depending on use and the working conditions of the reel. So, people may notice resistance or tugging.”
Wing adds that the pinlocks keep the reel engaged during travel, so the hose doesn’t unwind while the truck is on the road. “Checking the spring on the pinlock to see if it’s starting to wear is important. These are easily replaceable,” she says.
An extra tip Wing has for lawn care operators is to occasionally make sure the reel is firmly attached to their rig.
“Make sure the reel is still securely bolted to the truck, the trailer or the cart,” she says. “They aren’t welded into these vehicles so checking they are secure is necessary. Things can loosen over time, especially depending on the road conditions where they are.”
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